Thrashing machine



April 1927' H. A. LU'NDQUIST THRASHING MACHINE Fi lepi July 25, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1- April 26 1927. 1,625,953

H. A. LUNDQUIST THRASHING MACHINE Filed'July 23. 1925 4 Shets-Sheet 2 April 26 1927. 1,625,953

H; A. LUNDQUIST THRASHING MACHINE Filed July 23. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 26; 1927.

UNE'EED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

HERMAN A. LUNDQUIS'I, OF TOLEDQ, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE BRANT- ING MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

THRASHING MACHINE.

Application filed July 23, 1925.

This invention relates to thrashing machines, and particularly to those for the thrashing of grain.

An object of the invention is to materially reduce the size of machines of this character so that the expense of manufacture is materially lessened and much less space, than heretofore necessary, is required in the use of such machines and also in the storage and shipping of the same, which in the latter case results in a material saving in freight charges. This is accomplished in one respect by a unique relative arrangement of the feeding and thrashing mechanisms, whereby a more compact arrangement is obtained and the machine materially shortened.

Another object of the invention is to so relatively arrange the feeding means with respect to the thrashing cylinder as to of feet a feeding of the unthrashed grain to the cylinder in a loose and more etiicient manner for thrashing than, to my knowl edge, is possible with the feeding arrange ments heretofore used.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means in combination with the thrashing cylinder for cooperating therewith to feed, thrash and separate the straw, whereas heretofore the cylinder has only served as a thrashing means.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means between the feeding means and the customary concaves for acting in conjunction with the thrashing cylinder to retard the feeding of the straw and to loosen and separate the straw to facilitate thrashing.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for combing and separating the straw after leaving the thrashing parts, so as to permit the loose grain carried thereby to more readily pass down through the straw and onto the subjacent screens instead of being carried with the straw to the stack and thereby lost.

, Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof.

While the invention in its broader aspect Serial No. 45,450.

is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, one embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure l-is a vertical longitudinal section of a thrashing machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an outer side elevation of the machine with the machine in the reverse position to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of a machine taken on ,the line 3-3 in Fig. 1 with parts in full. Fig. a is an inner side elevation of the separating and thrashing parts with which the thrashing cylinder cooip'erates, with parts broken away, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one of the separating grates.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the customary thrashing machine casing having the front and rear supporting wheels 2 and containing the grain feeding, thrashing and separating parts. The customary thrashing cylinder 3 is mounted transversely in the forward end portion of the casing l with the ends of its shaft at projecting through and journaled in bearings in the sides of the casing. Mounted in the same manner within the casing as the cylinder 3 and to the rear thereof, in the present instance, are two beaterdrums and 6 carried by shafts 7 and 8, respectively. While two beater drums are shown, it will be understood that a greater or less number may be employed, if desired.

The usual concave 9 is provided in advance of the cylinder 3 in spaced concentric relation thereto and carries the spikes 10 for thrashing cooperation with the cylinder spikes 11. within the thrashing throat in the usual manner.

A breast-plate 12 extends upward. and rearward over the cylinder 3 from the upper or rear edge of the concave 9 to form a continuation of the entrance end portion of the thrashing throat with its upper free edge portion extending on an upward incline in a tangential plane with respect to a circle concentric to the cylinder, thereby cooperating with the cylinder to form a broadened straw-receiving mouth portion.

Extending in successive relation under the ill thrashing cylinder 3 and separating drums 5 and 6 are the respective grates 13, 14 and 1-5 of customary or any suitable construction with the grate 13 starting at and forming a continuation of the lower edge of the concave 9. The straw, upon leaving the rear grate 15, passes on to the straw rack 16 by which it is conveyed to the straw housing 17 with which a pneumatic type of stacker is associated, as well understood in the art. Below the thrashing and separating means is the customary screening mechanism, the construction and arrangement of which forms no part of the present invention and neeclnot, therefore, be specifically described.

A conveyor or teed apron 20 for the un thrashed grain. is horizontally disposed within the upper portion of the casing 1 above the separating drums 5 and 6 and straw rack 16, extending, in the present instance, from the rear end of the casing 1 at a point above the straw receiving housing 17 forwardly to adjacent the upper portion ol' the thrashing cylinder 3 in position to feed the unthrashed grain and straw into the mouth formed by the cylinder and breast-plate 12. The apron 20 passes around and is guided by the 'l'orward and rear rolls 21 and 29., the shafts of which are journaled in the sides of the casing 1. It is apparent that the delivery of grain to the thrashing cylinder by the conveyor 20 is substantially tangential to the cylinder and the direction of movement of the cylinder, thereby materially facilitating the feeding action or theproper delivery of the grain to the cylinder for ellicient and economical thrashing purposes.

Over the extreme forward end of the conveyor 20 is located a rotary iced retarder 23, which has its shaft ends journaled in upwardly extended side portions 24 of the casing 1 and is provided around its periphcry with a plurality of spike-like teeth 25. The retarder 23 turns at a. much slower speed than the movement of the conveyor 20 and this causes the teeth 25 to coact ith the upper portion of the grain at its point 01'' deliver 1 from the conveyor into the thrashing mechanism in such manner as to retard the movement of the upper grain portion, thereby tending not only to separate the grain straw but causing the lower portion thereof to be delivered in a comparatively thin or regulated stream to the thrashing cylinder both by the feeding action of the conveyor and by the picking oil action of the cylinder teeth. This feature is of considerable importance in the eflicient thrashing of grain as it prevents a too fast feeding of the unthrashed g grain to the thrashing parts and the consequent objectionable packing of the grain between the thrashing cylinder and parts with which it coacts.

The customary band cutters 26 are located over the conveyor 20 at a short distance to the rear of the rotary retarder 23, such cutters being mounted on a shaft 27, the ends of which are journaled in the casing side extensions 24.

The feed rctarder 23 and band cutters 26 are covered by a casing part 28 which extends i'rom the rear edge of the breast plale 12 upwardly and rcarwardly over said members. The top of the casing 1 at the rear of the cutters 26 is left open to permit the delivery onto the conveyor '30 of the grain to be thrashed, which may be pitched up from either side of the machine or from the rear.

The liireastilate 12 is provided with a plurality of pins or teeth 30, which interengage the cylinder teeth 11 in the same general manner as the concave teeth 10, except that the pins or teeth 30 are fewer in number or more widely spaced :lior a corrcspending area and are also preferably SllOl'il er than the teeth 10. The purpose oi the teeth 30 is to retard the movement oi the straw around the thrashing cylinder and also to loosen and separate the straw preparatory to entering the space in which the more thickly arranged concave teeth 10 are disposed. loth the rotary rctardcr Bil and the teeth 30 have the same general action on the straw. except that one is movable in its nature and the other stationary, both are intended to retard the 'l'eeding movement of the straw and to loosen, separate and prevent packing of the straw so that it will he in a better condition to he acted on by the thrashing parts. it found that this treatment of the straw be tore entering between the concaves and cylinder very materially facilitates the thrashing action and enables a more ellicicnt separation ol. the grain hernels from the straw and heads than is otherwise possible.

A. feature which is found to he ol' material advantage in separating the loose grain from the straw al'tcr passing lrom between the concaves and cylinder is the provision on the upper sides ol? the grates 13, let and 15 of teeth 31, which engage the straw, cans-- ing a retardation of the movement ol' at least the lower portion of the straw stream passing through the separator, and have a. con'ibing and separating actiiin on the straw so as to cause a loosening and agitating thereof as it feeds forward by the action of the teeth of the cylinder 3 and heater drums and 6. This loosening, combing and separating action of the straw permits the loose grain, which is imheddcd in or carried by the straw, to more readily worlc down through the straw and pass to thescrecning parts than is possible where the straw passes through the thrashing and beating parts without such combing and retarding act ion. The pins 31 need not be very closely posillll lla'i l'dll iii ill)

tioned and are arranged to alternate with the cylinder and heater teeth. These teeth, in the present instance, are shown as constituting integral.projections on the upper edges of certain of the grate bars, as shown in Figs. 5 and (3.

The tailings, which are delivered to the trough S2 and conveyed therethrough in the usual manner by a screw 33 to the lower end of the tailing-elevator 3e, are delivered by said elevator through the tailing-spout 35 to the top of the conveyor apron near the rear end thereof. So far as I am aware, it has heretofore been the practice to deliver the tailings directly onto the top of the thrashing cylinder from the elevator. This objectionable, as it is found that the dis charging of the tailings onto the thrashing cylinder causes the grain kernels contained in the tailin 's frequently to crack, which is objectionable. By delivering the failings onto the conveyor 20 they mix with the inithrashed grain and straw and pass therewith to the thrashing parts, thereby obviating the direct discharging of the grain in the tailings onto the thrashing cylinder and avoiding the objectionable results.

It is evident that I have provided a thrasher having a compact arrangement of the feeding and thrashing parts with all of such parts confined within a space of approximately ten feet or less in length, whereas with the present thrashers employing a feed- .ing means projecting from an end of the thrashing machine a space of at least sixteen or eighteen feet in length is required to acconnnodate the same. This reduction in length of the thrashing machine is in itself an important feature as it not only requires much less space for storing or packing but also prevents the necessity of leaving the feeding end of the thrasher projecting without a barn door when thrashing is being done within a barn and the available space is too small to accommodate the length of the thrasher. In such latter case, thrashing can only be done in dry weather. Furthermore, it is found in practice that in arranging the feeding means within the casing and with respect to the thrashing cylinder, as herein described, the unthrashed grain is fed to the cylinder in a more efficient manner than with the arrangement of feeders heretofore used.

In the use of the thrasher, the unthrashed grain and straw are delivered onto the top of the conveyor apron 20 and carried thereby under the band cutter 26 and rotary rotarder 23, which latter revolves at a slower speed than the speed of feeding movements of the conveyor so that the teeth thereof which engage the upper portion of the feeding grain and straw will have a retarding action thereon relative to the feeding of the portion of the grain and straw adjacent to the conveyor. In this manner the top portion of the column or stream of straw feeding to the cylinder is separated and loosened and retarded relative to the feed of the lower portion. thereof, and as the teeth of the rapidly rotating thrashing cylinder come up under and engage the bottom portion of the stream of straw'and grain feeding from the conveyor, it is further agitated and loosened thereby before being carried through the space into which the stationary retarding teeth 30 are disposed preparatory to entering the thrashing zone between the thrashing cylinder and concaves. The retarding teeth 30 have a loosening and separating action on the grain and straw which facilitates the subsequent thrashing action. After the straw leaves the concaves and passes over the successive grates 13, let and 15, it is subjected to a combing and separating action by the grate teeth 31, which in conjunction with the action of the cylinder teeth 11 and heater teeth 36 cause a more efficient separation of the loose grain from the straw than would otherwise be obtained. The tailings are delivered by the elevator 8% and spout to the rear end of the conveyor 20 to be fed thereby together with the fresh unthreshed straw and grain into the thrashing parts.

The belting and relative speed of driving of the different movable parts is illustrated in Fig. 2.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a thrashing machine, the combinaton of a thrashing drum, a conveyor disposed substantially tangential to the upper part of said drum, a band cutter above said conveyor, a retarder in advance of said band cutter adjacent the forward end portion of said conveyor, a concave at the outer side of said thrashing drum, a breast plate extend ing from the rereivii'ig end of said concave and inclined toward said conveyor, thereby providing a thrashing throat, teeth projecting from said breast plate for combing and retarding the movement of material, a grate at the underside of said thrashing drum, and teeth projecting from said grate for effecting a separating and retarding of the movement of the material passing thereover.

2. In a thrashing machine, the combination of a thrashing drum, a conveyor disposed substantially tangential to the upper part of said drum, a concave at the outer side of said thrashing drum, a breast plate ing and retarding the movement ofmaterial, a grate at the under side of said thrashing drum, and teeth projecting from said grate for eifecting a separating and retarding of the movement of the material passing thereover.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

HERMAN 1L LUNDQUIST. 

